I set this blog up to slowly release the book into the world prior to publication. I’m pleased to say that this is coming closer. I’m just at the final proofing stage of the printed copy. I made this short video of me opening my parcel as it arrived …

It’s also been an interesting process showing the proof to people. At the weekend I showed it to my aunt who is just turning 70 next week. I thought it would be the perfect answer to the usual question of “So what have you been up to?”

She does the crossword daily and as she saw the slim volume she assumed she’s be able to ‘skim it’ while I was there. (Luckily this was not the case – she did pause for thought between sections)

It’s fascinating and slightly nerve-wracking to have someone read the book in front of you. In the introduction I talk about ‘taking a leap’ from employment to self employment. This immediately struck a chord with her and she went on to tell me about the leaps of faith she had taken in her life and the risks and pay offs that were associated with them.

Her interpretation of how she ‘thinks outside the box’ was fascinating to hear and her views on the innocence of childhood and play was also something she picked up on and wanted to discuss.  Unfortunately other people in the room didn’t know what she was reading, as there was only one copy, but she was commenting as if we all had the book in front of us!

One of the funnier comments she made, apart from “Who is this Ken Robinson chap?”,   was in relation to the section on “There is no one right answer”. Here’s a short extract:

If you are to take a more creative path you have to let go of this notion of the ‘one right way’ and accept there are many ways of doing things. You may also have to believe that there is no right or wrong way of doing anything, just different ways.

“It’s going to sound arrogant but I am always right at most things. Aren’t I?” She said this with all seriousness turning to her husband for support. “Of course” he nodded. Maybe she’ll want to spend a bit more time on this section when the final version comes out.

One final point of her reaction to the book, she suggested it would be good for people ‘suffering from depression’. I thought it was a book primarily about creativity but for her it was just as much about positivity. Interesting how we write with one intention but people then add their own layer of meaning to something…

On the plus side, she as a 70-year-old great-grandmother, identified with the book and wanted her grand-daughter to read it too! So maybe it has a wider appeal than I had imagined. On the downside being the avid crossworder that she is – she spotted a typo that I and the proof reader had missed! 🙂